


In the Dark

by beejohnlocked



Series: Desus Holiday Bingo 2K17 [2]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Love Confessions, M/M, S'mores, Winter Solstice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-14
Updated: 2017-12-14
Packaged: 2019-02-14 20:37:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13015671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beejohnlocked/pseuds/beejohnlocked
Summary: Daryl and Paul enjoy a long night.





	In the Dark

**Author's Note:**

> My second work in this year's Desus Holiday Bingo. The prompt was "winter solstice".

****"Did you know it's the longest night of the year?"  
Paul drew patterns on Daryl's bare chest as they lay cuddled in bed. It was pitch black outside of the trailer in spite of it still being barely 4 o'clock in the afternoon.

"Huh?"

"The longest night of the year. Shortest day. Have you not heard of the winter solstice?" Paul sat up suddenly, looking at Daryl with unbelieving eyes.

"Yeah, heard of it. Dunno what it is."

"Well...now you do."

Daryl realized something. "Wait. How the hell do you know what day of the year it is?"

Even in the dark of the room, Daryl could see Paul blush.

"I've kept track. You've seen my handmade calendar."

"Well yeah but I thought that was just...I dunno, to keep up appearances."

Paul laughed and Daryl tried to control the rush of butterflies that released in his stomach at the sound.

"The appearance of time?" he giggled.

Now it was Daryl's turn to blush. "I guess."

Paul rolled on top of him and began nibbling on his jawline. "What can I say? I'm organized."

He pulled back after a moment and stared at Daryl. "What do you want to do to celebrate this very special night? Do you need suggestions? Because I can think of a few things." He went back to kissing and nipping along Daryl's jaw and neck and the other man had to laugh.

"Christ man, this dick ain't battery powered!"

There was a huff of laughter against his neck, followed by a little kiss. "Sorry, you know how you get me riled. Is there something else you'd like to do to celebrate this momentous occasion?" Paul's eyebrow raised playfully. At least while you...erm...recharge?"

Daryl scoffed but grew thoughtful. He actually had a thought in mind. It wasn't the most amazing idea. It was actually pretty simple. But that didn't mean it wasn't a good one.

And that's how they ended up in front of the fireplace inside of Barrington House, roasting actual goddamned marshmallows for actual goddamned s'mores. For once, Paul seem to be at a loss as to what to say or do. Daryl guessed it was because of Paul's own life experiences and hoped he would be able to simply relax and have fun without the constant outside pressure that seemed to keep him in action at all times.

"You do this a lot?" Paul sucked melted marshmallow off of one finger as he held a poker over the flames. "S'mores, I mean?"

Daryl shrugged. "Always liked sweets. Didn't have much of them growing up though." He smiled wistfully. "Merle used to steal shit to trade for drugs. Sometimes he would steal just for the hell of it. And sometimes he'd steal and give stuff to me. Candy, soda...beer when I got older. This was never the food I was supposed to have while I was camping. I would hunt for critters. But I ain't going to lie, I usually had the shit to make 'em in my pack. I mean who don't like chocolate and marshmallows?

Paul had never had this particular treat in his entire life. It was kind of embarrassing, really, but he was a city boy through and through. He knew what they were, he knew the ingredients, but he'd never personally eaten them. But then Daryl took a couple graham cracker squares, one with a hunk of chocolate on it, and sandwiched it around the golden brown marshmallow still attached to the poker. He dragged the sticky mess off and dropped the result onto a small plate, presenting it to Paul with a proud aplomb.

"Best camp food ever." His eyes were dancing with anticipation for Paul's first bite.

Paul set the plate in his lap and shook his head. "Uh-uh. Together."

After the next world's most dramatic eye roll, Daryl quickly readied his own plate. The soppy chocolate and marshmallow dripped out of the sides of their cracker sandwiches.

"Ready?" A waggle of brows.

Paul fucking loved Daryl to death when he got playful in this way.

"Cheers."

It took the rest of that night for Paul to get over the epiphany that was his first taste of s'mores. Good thing he had Daryl's help.

They played two-handed Euchre for a while. Daryl constantly accused Paul of cheating, Paul constantly acted innocent and nonplussed.

Paul read to him, the first Harry Potter novel which Daryl initially scoffed at and later found himself obsessed with and asking Paul to continue the series as casually as he could manage.

Daryl taught Paul some of the cat's cradle patterns he knew with a tied up string. Paul taught Daryl a few origami.

They argued about music. Daryl loved the classic rock and country and Paul was into some more progressive hippie shit and they vowed to torture the other with their favorite music. Daryl relished the thought of Paul listening to Hank Williams but he grimaced at the knowledge that Paul was going to force Pink Floyd on him.

Paul shared a couple of his special skills. In addition to martial arts, he took dance and gymnastics growing up and showed Daryl a few things that had the other's jaw hanging. Paul could leap and flip and did this thing he called an arabesque that had Daryl in pieces.

Not to be outdone, Daryl shared his tracking and hunting secrets. He also admitted how he always wished he could talk to animals since he always felt most at home in nature. Paul promised then and there to find him a pet, whatever it took.

And when they made love, in the dead of winter, in front of a roaring fire, marshmallows long forgotten, hands clasped and gasping their pleasure, coming together again and again, on that longest night of the year, with light nearly beginning in the sky, Daryl couldn't hold it back anymore:

"I love you." He'd wanted to say it for ages. He'd meant to and just never had. And in that moment it slipped out without thinking.

Paul's eyes widened comically in response, and in a desperate, sugar-filled kiss, Paul breathed Daryl's words back to him. "I love you, Daryl."

Their kisses and heartfelt confessions ushered in the new morning. And thanks to their experiences during that night, dawn broke a little brighter that day.


End file.
